To John Jackson, it was meant as a joke. Nothing more. As a USC freshman receiver, he was friendly with senior Hank Norman. So when Norman caught the 113th pass of his collegiate career to set the all-time Trojan record, Jackson came up, congratulated him and then added, "You only get to enjoy it a little while because I'll get it in four years." Both laughed. Last Saturday, four years later, Jackson laughed again as he retold the story. With a new catch.

John Jackson has always said that he's a football player playing baseball. Apparently, NFL clubs doubted him. Jackson, USC's career pass catching and receiving yardage leader, was ignored through 12 rounds of the recent NFL draft. "I guess they (NFL teams) didn't want to draft someone who might not show up," Jackson said Tuesday. Jackson is a center fielder on the USC baseball team. He is batting .322, second best on the team, and is the school career leader in stolen bases with 52.

USC's Gary Wellman is listed as a wide receiver on the roster. But for the first two games, he had a better chance of catching a cold than a pass. Wellman and split end John Jackson were virtually ignored in what passed as USC's passing game. Fullback Leroy Holt, of all people, was the leading receiver. "I don't know if John and I were complaining, or getting a little excited, but we weren't throwing the ball that much and the wide receivers weren't getting any passes," Wellman said.

When Gary Wellman began his freshman football season at USC in 1986, he had many doubts. He lacked confidence in his ability to play wide receiver after completing an outstanding career at Westlake High, where he starred as an all-purpose runner. At 5 feet 9 and a stocky 170 pounds, Wellman thought he was too small to play big-time college football--until he saw John Jackson on the practice field.

John Jackson has always said that he's a football player playing baseball. Apparently, NFL clubs doubted him. Jackson, USC's career pass catching and receiving yardage leader, was ignored through 12 rounds of the recent NFL draft. "I guess they (NFL teams) didn't want to draft someone who might not show up," Jackson said Tuesday. Jackson is a center fielder on the USC baseball team. He is batting .322, second best on the team, and is the school career leader in stolen bases with 52.

When Gary Wellman began his freshman football season at USC in 1986, he had many doubts. He lacked confidence in his ability to play wide receiver after completing an outstanding career at Westlake High, where he starred as an all-purpose runner. At 5 feet 9 and a stocky 170 pounds, Wellman thought he was too small to play big-time college football--until he saw John Jackson on the practice field.

To John Jackson, it was meant as a joke. Nothing more. As a USC freshman receiver, he was friendly with senior Hank Norman. So when Norman caught the 113th pass of his collegiate career to set the all-time Trojan record, Jackson came up, congratulated him and then added, "You only get to enjoy it a little while because I'll get it in four years." Both laughed. Last Saturday, four years later, Jackson laughed again as he retold the story. With a new catch.

USC's Gary Wellman is listed as a wide receiver on the roster. But for the first two games, he had a better chance of catching a cold than a pass. Wellman and split end John Jackson were virtually ignored in what passed as USC's passing game. Fullback Leroy Holt, of all people, was the leading receiver. "I don't know if John and I were complaining, or getting a little excited, but we weren't throwing the ball that much and the wide receivers weren't getting any passes," Wellman said.